A tsunami of sympathy is starting to sweep the country for America’s latest sweetheart, United States Air Force veteran and whistleblower Reality L. Winner.

In early 2017, the 25-year-old former National Security Agency employee exposed Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign by releasing one classified document to The Intercept. This document revealed that Russian military agents sought to swing the election in favor of Donald Trump. Now 29, Reality continues to sit behind bars while she serves out a 63-month sentence for trying to protect her country.

Meanwhile, others who have betrayed America, and have known ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, like Gen. Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort and Roger Stone, were pardoned by then-President Donald Trump. Despite intense lobbying, the Biden administration has still, for some inexplicable reason, not pardoned Winner.

If there ever was a travesty of justice, Winner’s case is it. Reality has been denied bail four times, denied compassionate release, been assaulted by prison staff, contracted COVID-19 and recently had to endure frozen pipes and lack of heat at the Carswell Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Reality’s separation from her family has been heart-wrenching. This American patriot has suffered enough. It is time to free Reality!

Don Kimball
veteran, U.S. Air Force
South Portland